The Robert W Wilson Charitable Trust
The Robert W Wilson Charitable Trust is a private foundation based in New York, NY. Its 2024 grants supported organizations working in areas including environmental conservation, historic preservation, arts and culture, and justice.
The Robert W Wilson Charitable Trust at a glance
In short: The Robert W Wilson Charitable Trust gave $34.4M across 78 grants in 2025 (avg $441K), mostly in New York. 19% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $34,420,221
- +31.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 78
- -4.9% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $441,285
- +38.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $152,931,494
- -15.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 19% first-time grantees (15 of 78, 2025)
- Primary geography
- New York (83% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated November 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Robert W Wilson Charitable Trust
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: R Schneidman Tte Anchin 3 Times, New York, NY 10036
Phone: (212) 840-3456
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Robert W Wilson Charitable Trust funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Nature Conservancy ($9.3M). Together the top 10 received $32.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
378 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 283 grants of 378 (75%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 96% of grant dollars went to recipients in New York, 2% to Massachusetts, and 1% to Virginia. Florida and California each accounted for 0% as reported.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 78 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Robert W Wilson Charitable Trust open to new grantees?
19%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 15 of 78 grantees (19%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $9K; repeat grants $544K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $15K repeat.
- 67% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 150% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 442% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $12.1M (2023) to $34.4M (2025). In 2025 it made 78 grants totaling $34.4M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Nature Conservancy New York, NY | General Support | $9,342,423 |
| Shelburne Farms Shelburne, VT | General Support | $5,000,000 |
| Environmental Defense Fund New York, NY | General Support | $4,918,741 |
| World Monuments Fund New York, NY | General Support | $4,862,182 |
| Central Park Conservancy New York, NY | General Support | $2,600,000 |
| Vera Institute of Justice Brooklyn, NY | General Support | $2,075,000 |
| Brooklyn Botanic Garden Brooklyn, NY | General Support | $1,624,425 |
| Metropolitan Opera New York, NY | General Support | $1,000,000 |
| Drug Policy Alliance New York, NY | General Support | $600,000 |
| New York Public Library New York, NY | General Support | $525,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $152,931,494 | $5,492,843 | $36,222,576 | $34,420,221 | 78 | $35,306,056 | $5,865,705 | $7,980,802 |
| 2024 | $181,794,448 | $32,548,343 | $28,700,737 | $26,193,961 | 82 | $27,212,396 | $31,643,151 | $8,950,904 |
| 2023 | $199,455,244 | $16,248,141 | $14,168,431 | $12,118,893 | 79 | $13,046,269 | $15,213,072 | $9,333,883 |
| 2022 | $191,912,333 | $6,256,282 | $16,125,838 | $13,754,770 | 62 | $14,805,714 | $5,131,621 | $10,078,652 |
| 2021 | $246,803,641 | $15,248,568 | $19,458,296 | $17,020,567 | 77 | $18,011,162 | $13,683,111 | $11,940,798 |
| 2020 | $240,348,926 | $4,265,244 | $21,330,105 | $18,968,552 | 65 | — | $2,732,789 | $10,732,420 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Robert W Wilson Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $8.0M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The available information does not state the trust’s own mission. Its 2024 grantees included organizations with varied missions. Environmental Defense Fund describes its work as preserving natural systems and finding practical solutions to environmental problems. Vera Institute of Justice says it partners with impacted communities and government leaders to transform criminal, legal, and immigration systems. The Whitney Museum of American Art says it presents and collects art of the United States and champions living artists. Drug Policy Alliance says it works to expand health and addiction services while reducing arrests and incarceration. Other supported organizations included performing arts venues and a bird-conservation organization.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the trust made 82 grants totaling $26,193,961. Grant amounts ranged from $200 to $8,655,718, with a median grant of $10,000. The largest awards included $8,655,718 to the Nature Conservancy, $4,919,558 to World Monuments Fund, $2,600,000 to Central Park Conservancy, and $1,819,484 to Environmental Defense Fund. Other notable grants were $1,575,000 to Vera Institute of Justice, $1,250,000 to Metropolitan Opera, $1,100,000 to the Whitney Museum of American Art, and $1,044,750 to New York Public Library. The listed purposes for these grants were general support. Its 2025 filing, the latest on this page, reports 78 grants totaling $34.4 million.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Richard Schneidman, Robert Feidelson, and Eric Weitz as trustees.
The Robert W Wilson Charitable Trust's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; all 3 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Eric Weitz
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1.5 hrs/week
$18K (2021) → $20K (2025)
Richard Schneidman
Trustee
On filings since 2020
36 hrs/week
$823K (2020) → $674K (2025)
Robert Feidelson
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1.5 hrs/week
$20K (2020) → $20K (2025)
Former officers (1)
- Former: Ronald Zimmerman (2020) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $674K, to Richard Schneidman (Trustee). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Robert W Wilson Charitable Trust
How much does The Robert W Wilson Charitable Trust give each year?
The Robert W Wilson Charitable Trust gave $34.4M across 78 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $26.2M across 82 grants.
What is The Robert W Wilson Charitable Trust's typical grant size?
The Robert W Wilson Charitable Trust's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $441,285, across 78 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Robert W Wilson Charitable Trust that year got $9K on average.
Where does The Robert W Wilson Charitable Trust give grants?
The Robert W Wilson Charitable Trust gives mostly in New York: 83% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Vermont (15%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (34 grants), Brooklyn, NY (4 grants), Washington, DC (4 grants) and Chicago, IL (3 grants).
Does The Robert W Wilson Charitable Trust give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Robert W Wilson Charitable Trust's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (78 of 78) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Robert W Wilson Charitable Trust's largest grantees?
The Robert W Wilson Charitable Trust's largest 2025 grantees include Nature Conservancy ($9,342,423), Shelburne Farms ($5,000,000) and Environmental Defense Fund ($4,918,741), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 56% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Robert W Wilson Charitable Trust?
The Robert W Wilson Charitable Trust reported $152.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $35.3M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $8.0M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Robert W Wilson Charitable Trust fund?
The available information does not state the trust’s own mission. Its 2024 grantees included organizations with varied missions. Environmental Defense Fund describes its work as preserving natural systems and finding practical solutions to environmental problems. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Robert W Wilson Charitable Trust?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Robert W Wilson Charitable Trust's EIN?
The Robert W Wilson Charitable Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 51-6536168. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Robert W Wilson Charitable Trust accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated November 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS September 17, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work The Robert W Wilson Charitable Trust funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Robert W Wilson Charitable Trust funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-robert-w-wilson-charitable-trust-morg_6fef268cd459463b88bda17226bceadc
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_516536168_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Robert W Wilson Charitable Trust funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-robert-w-wilson-charitable-trust-morg_6fef268cd459463b88bda17226bceadc},
note = {Accessed 2026-11-04. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from The Robert W Wilson Charitable Trust's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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